一、 让步状语从句
引导让步状语从句的连词有:
1. Although/though(尽管,虽然),even though/even if(即使)
Although与though两者意思相同,一般可互换,都可以与yet, still或nevertheless连用,但不能和but连用。
There is no such thing as a convincing [令人信服的] argument, although every man thinks he has one.
根本就没有什么令人信服的论证,虽然每个人都认为自己可以。
注:每个人都觉得自己不会被别人说服,但自己可以说服别人。
It has been said that although God cannot alter the past, historians[历史学家] can.
据说尽管上帝不能改变过去,历史学家可以。
注:有些历史是历史学家编的。
Although there exist many thousands of subjects for elegant conversation, there are people who cannot meet a cripple(瘸子) without talking about feet.
尽管存在无数个优雅的话题,总有一些人遇见瘸子就谈论脚。
注:有些人说话没有水平,别人不爱听什么他就说什么。
I own I would rather choose a wife of mine to have the usual number of limbs(肢体)….and although one eye may be very agreeable, the prejudice has always run in favor of two.
我承认我宁愿选择一个四肢健全的妻子……尽管一只眼睛也很令人愉快,但世俗的偏见还是认为两只眼睛好。
注:他最终还是没有冲破世俗的偏见,选择了两只眼睛的妻子。
First, I want to thank you for that great introduction[介绍] ____ although it did confuse my wife. Half-way through she nudged (用肘轻推)me to find out who else was speaking tonight.
首先我想感谢你们这么精彩的介绍——尽管确实迷惑了我太太,她一直用胳膊肘捅我想知道今晚的演讲者还有谁。
注:演讲嘉宾听完主持人对自己全是溢美之词的介绍后这么说,意思是我太太都不知道你们介绍得是谁。
Though I am the perfect height of five-feet-nine-and-a-half I always feel depressed[沮丧的] in the presence of a man six-feet-two.
尽管我有着完美皿英尺9寸半的身高,但在身高6英尺2的人面前总感到情绪低落。
注:这是一个容易受伤但很有上进心的男人。
注意:though还可以用作副词,意为“可是,然而”,置于句末。
He said he would come; he didn’t, though.
I have been a selfish human being all my life, in practice, though not in principle.
我一生都很自私,只是在实践上,原则上可不是这样。
注:嘴上可不自私。
场景再现:鼓励别人勇于表达自己:
Speak your mind, even if your voice shakes.
说出你的思想,即使你的声音在颤抖。
注:声音颤抖可能是紧张,也可能内心有不可告人的秘密,怕说错话被别人发现。
Let us all be happy and live within our means, even if we have to borrow the money to do it with.
我们要在力所能及的情况下愉快地生活,即使不得不借钱这样做。
注:如果有能力借钱生活,是不是也是力所能及的生活呢?
No furniture is as charming as books, even if you never open them or read a single word.
任何家具都不象书这样有魅力,即使你从来没有打开或一个字都不读。
注:有些人家里、办公室里摆了很多书,就想显着有学问,实际上他们从来不看。